On the Table with My Clothes On!

So at 4pm today, I visited my hospital's complementary medicine unit to receive my first treatment of acupuncture.  Now, let me say that I'm still not 100% sold that this is the key to getting knocked up.  However, I am desperate and willing to try it if there's even a slight chance that it helps.  I was nervous that it would hurt, too.

When I arrived, I had to pay the $75 fee, fill out a 4-page form about my health history, and was then led to a room down the hall.  Sara, the acupuncturist, who I know outside of the hospital, came in and began asking me questions.  She made some notes as we talked and reaffirmed that there are certain things that have to be done on certain days during the IVF cycle.  She mentioned that she may be going out of town this month, but has other acupuncturists on "back-up" in case I need something done while she's gone.  Sara reaffirmed that this visit was merely to strengthen my body and lessen PCOS symptoms to prepare me for the next round of IVF.  Hubby asked some questions about how the acupuncture is supposed to help and she went into some info about the kidney being the center of fertility and the liver having something to do with it, so they both are stimulated in Chinese medicine and I have to be honest - my eyes kinda glassed over for a minute.  Hubby said he was with her till she started talking about "chi."  Please give us the benefit of the doubt:  We are willing to try new things, even if we don't understand it all!

She had me slip off my jeans so she was able to get to a spot above my knee.  She ought to know that us infertiles are used to taking off our clothes and getting on a table by now...  I put a sheet over my middle and she began.  I didn't even have to take off my undies for her - just my pants, shoes, and socks!  She wiped a cold fluid on me before putting in each pin.  I'm pretty sure this was alcohol.  She began with one pin in between my eyebrows.  Then she went to my abdomen where she put four more pins: (Towards the right is my head, left is my feet.  This pic is just below my belly button.  If any of you make any comments about my very white belly, we are no longer friends.  Got it?)

Next, she put a pin in each of my hands and then she tagged me down each leg and onto my feet: (Again, no comments about how white and/or dry my legs are or we are no longer friends.  Got it?)

When she was done inserting all 19 pins, she put a heat lamp over my tummy and another over my feet.  She made sure I was comfortable and left the room for about 20 minutes.  The music was soothing and the lights were low.  I was warm from the heat lamps.  I was all calm and then I hear the clicking of Hubby's video game on his phone.  It made me giggle.  It was a relaxing way to spend a few minutes in a busy day.  I will give it that.

After the 20 minutes, she came in and quickly removed the pins.  I noticed a couple smears of blood on my legs where a couple of the pins were.  I honestly didn't feel anything but a slight prick when she inserted them all.  Before leaving, she suggested a website for me to visit if I'd be interested in some dietary suggestions for PCOS and infertility treatments that are meant to be paired with acupuncture.  (I need to check it out.  If it's worth sharing, I will.)

I'm to call her when I have a firm calendar from my Doc.  She said my next appointment will be within a few days of starting the next IVF cycle.  And now we just have to wait to see what the Dr. Larry King says tomorrow.